The world of college sports was once again shaken up last Friday.
A US District Court Judge in Colorado, Charlotte Sweeney, granted a preliminary injunction to all college athletes from the high school class of 2022 who just finished a fourth season of eligibility this spring, making them eligible for a fifth year in 2026-27.
The NCAA is expected to appeal, but as anyone could have guessed, the transfer portal has now been flooded with a slew of fifth-year players looking for new homes.
Now, I doubt this ruling will have much effect on the Duke basketball program, as it is already one of the deepest and most complete teams in college basketball. However, it could shake up the rosters of a few of the Blue Devils' marquee non-conference opponents. Let's break them down.
Florida
Duke will face Florida at Exactech Arena in Gainesville on Dec. 1 as part of the 2026 ACC/SEC Challenge. The Blue Devils and Gators will potentially begin the year as the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the AP Poll, in whichever order.
Todd Golden's Gators are already loaded heading into the 2026-27 campaign. Florida returned six of its top seven scorers from last season, including All-American Thomas Haugh, SEC Defensive Player of the Year Rueben Chinyelu, and SEC Sixth Man of the Year Urban Klavzar.
Haugh, Chinyelu, and Alex Condon made up what was arguably the best frontcourt in college basketball last season. They're all back in Gainesville. However, the Gators could be adding more.
Former Gators guard Denzel Aberdeen was seeking a waiver to play this season, stemming from his freshman year at UF, in which he averaged 3.4 minutes a night across 12 appearances. This new ruling now makes him eligible for this coming season.
#Duke will head to Gainesville to take on a Florida team that returned an All-American, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and the SEC Sixth Man of the Year (six of its top seven scorers, too).
Now, it might add Denzel Aberdeen.
Cinema on Dec. 1. https://t.co/tVh5T8OqMI
– hughstraine (@HughStraine) July 31, 2026
Aberdeen spent three seasons at Florida before transferring to Kentucky for the 2025-26 season. The 6'5" guard was a critical piece off the bench for Golden's National Championship squad in 2025, averaging 7.7 points and 1.4 assists a night in 19.7 minutes.
Duke and Florida are probably the top two teams in college basketball heading into the year, and the Gators might not be done building.
Michigan State
Michigan State is the first premier opponent Duke will face through its daunting non-conference slate. The Blue Devils and Spartans will meet in the Champions Classic in Chicago on Nov. 10.
Tom Izzo is returning All-American point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., along with a very promising young wing in Jordan Scott. The Spartans added big man Anton Bonke via the transfer portal and are bringing in a few intriguing freshmen, such as Carlos Medlock Jr. and Jasiah Jervis. Now, MSU could be bringing back one of its best players from last year.
Michigan State lost the game 67-63. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
It was reported that former MSU big man Jaxon Kohler will be exploring a return to college basketball. Kansas, Kentucky, BYU, and a return to Michigan State were the reported possibilities.
Kohler signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Utah Jazz after going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft. The 6'9" forward was one of Sparty's best all-around players last season, averaging 12.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game on 50% shooting from the floor and 38.9% from three on 4.3 attempts.
Michigan State will probably be a top 10 team in the country heading into the year, but adding Kohler back would be massive.
Gonzaga
Duke will take on Gonzaga on Feb. 20 in Detroit, a matchup that originally looked like another elite one for the Blue Devils. Then, a shocking departure left the Zags with questions.
Mario Saint-Supery, a rising sophomore guard for Mark Few who was deemed one of the bigger sophomore breakout candidates in the country, suddenly decided to head back to his home country of Spain to sign a multi-year deal with Valencia in the EuroLeague.
This was obviously a major blow to the Bulldogs' hopes, but they are now heavily linked to UCLA transfer guard Donovan Dent, who is now eligible to play next season.
Dent has been considered one of college basketball's best point guards for the last few seasons. In 2024-25 with New Mexico, he averaged 20.4 points and 6.4 assists per game en route to winning Mountain West Player of the Year. Last season with the Bruins, the 6'2" guard averaged 13.3 points and 7.6 assists a contest.
Dent would be a monumental addition to Few's starting lineup, immediately turning Gonzaga back into a true contender. For now, with all these new fifth-year players, we will see whether this ruling holds until the regular season begins.
Today's best reads
- How Michigan Cancellation Affects Duke Basketball Strength of Schedule
- Sean Miller Defends Opposite Approach to Duke's Non-Con Scheduling
- 3 Blue Devils Who Can Surge NBA Draft Stock This Year
- Why Duke Basketball Can Find Momentum Early Next Season
- Ironic Part About Duke Basketball's Two Upcoming Games at MSG
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as How Eligibility Ruling Could Affect Duke Basketball's Non-Con Slate.